I got Faith out last night. I put the climber in a new tree, but went rather high by my standards. I was so high my 24' rope to pull up the bow was off the ground and Faith's lower limb tip barely drug the leaves.
At about 4pm I heard running through the woods across a creek bottom. I saw a deer being chased by another. It ended up being two young bucks. I could see the one and he stood for about 10 minutes without moving. I heard steps behind me and turned to see momma doe, and I mean a big one, walking up an old 4-wheeler trail. The buck I could see across the bottom was watching her. I then heard the other deer move and could see a small set of antlers. Then another doe appeared near momma, then another chocolate buck. He too was young. He was a six pointer but a very small one; maybe last years crop.
The three bucks eventually came under my stand. Too close to shoot because it was a straight down shot. The two does left behind me.
I eventually got a shot at a cow horn spike which was missing his left antler. Right over his back. He never flinched at the shot, but took about five trotting steps afterwards into a pine stand. I had blown it again. With all the deer eyes around I felt like I couldn't move.
When it got nearly dark the chocolate buck came back in the area but never presented a shot. He was head first to the tree I was in and a spine shot was all I had. Another large bodied deer joined him well after sunset but with just enough light to see his or her outline. I was stuck in the tree. After it got almost pitch black I began clucking like a turkey, which are common in the area. The deer trotted off and never seemed alarmed.
I planned on hunting this morning but rain kept me out of the woods.
I shipped Faith off this afternoon.
She's a sweet bow. I could not give her any mojo, but if it makes any difference, I saw more bucks with Faith in my hand than I almost have over my hunting years. Almost ALL the years. Sitting here I can count 8 bucks over my hunts in times past with two harvested. Two unharvested were button bucks.
Maybe more will be seen with her companionship.